by Nada Hamdy, 05-06, Egypt to Portland, OR
An experience is always positive because you learn something. Since i first arrived in Oregon i have became more mature mentally and physically. I loved being an exchange student, living in a different country, learning different cultures. I have learned that life is just once and we must live our day without stopping our dreams and without wasting our time. I stayed a year in the U.S. and i felt like it was more than 50 years of learning— being independent, confident, patient, flexible, creative and many other things. I loved participating in a lot of sports and activities such as track, basketball, science club, choir class, drama class, parties and at school i loved to explore every thing. Excitement is not just to be emotionally excited but showing it through deeds, and after returning back home all that didn’t end. I am insisting to be an active member in the community and in my school as i joined the national heritage party, the cleaning camp at school, disabilities house, the singing choral at school , orphans houses, and the arbor day. And i will be always open-minded, loving, living in a peaceful, bright world.
by Ms Arundhati Sridhar, India, 2006-07
hosted in Decatur, GA
When I first walked into my speech/forensics class, a week into my introduction to Grady High School in Atlanta, GA, my first instinct was to walk right back out! Everyone in the class seemed to be so sure of themselves- so confident, so self-assured, and knowing exactly what they were doing. And to someone who was so new to the country and school- and had no idea what was going on, it was extremely intimidating. I felt like a total misfit right away… And though I thought the teacher- Mr. Herrera- was extremely nice and helpful (he even knew how to say my name- thanks to a famous Indian author I share my name with!), I had no idea what the expectations of a competitive speech and debate class were- and frankly, I was too intimidated to even want to know!
And to add to my misery, I learnt that as a part of the class, we were required to compete in a minimum of three speech/debate tournaments per semester. To the others- who had been doing this since middle school, or at least since their freshman year in high school, this was common place- but for an exchange student, it was just terrifying- and regardless to say, I completely freaked out! As I hesitantly approached Mr. Herrera to ask about what I really needed to do, and what was expected of me- he smiled and handed me a list of all the events I could do. As I started down the long list of big names and confusing rules that made no sense whatsoever, I realized this had done nothing to soothe my nerves, and if anything, had just added to the confusion.
Noticing the horrified look on my face, Mr. Herrera came up to me and asked if I needed to talk about it and I gladly accepted. At the end of the two-hour long “talk”, I was actually feeling a lot better. He had suggested I do an event called ‘Original Oratory’, a basic 10min speech on a topic of my choice. Simple as it sounded though, I had no idea where or how to start! I had been told to think about what I could speak very passionately- and the only thing I could think of was ‘the unfairness of forcing an exchange student into doing something they really don’t want’!
As I was still clueless about what I was doing, and was running around trying to avoid the thoughts of helplessness and cluelessness everyday, I started dreading the days I had the debate class, knowing fully well that I wasn’t ready for what needed to be done- since all we did in the class was to prepare for competition. However, I soon realized that shirking my work wasn’t doing me any good, and I was just putting off the inevitable- and that my best bet would be to get on the act as soon as possible- after all, I told myself, I had nothing to lose!
So I did get on the act- I did what Mr. Herrera told me to- and started writing a speech on a topic I decided I felt very strongly about- altruism. It took me a couple of weeks to hand in my first draft, and I was very nervous doing so- not knowing how people would react to it. But as I walked down the hall that day, a senior on the team-Ramika (who also does the same event)- came up to me and said she had chanced upon my draft when she was in Mr. Herrera’s room, and she loved it! It was just one of those moments you wish you could hold on to forever….
But soon enough, it was time for my first tournament. As it had only been a day since I finished writing the complete speech, I was told I could read off my script. As we started for the tournament, I realized this was what I had been avoiding for the past three months- and somehow- it just didn’t seem all that bad anymore. As I went from round to round, I felt myself feeling more and more at ease- until finally- I decided I was actually enjoying myself! By the end of the next day, I was feeling so much a part of the team already, and although I didn’t do very well (and didn’t ‘break’ to the final round), cheering for my team members at the awards ceremony gave me a high of unimaginable proportions. And I realized, that for the first time in the last three months, I had been ‘myself’ both days and had enjoyed every moment of it!
Little was I to know, that this was the beginning of a great romance- with competitive speech and debate, and more importantly, my debate team. As I went to my next two required tournaments for the semester- both in remote Georgia districts- I found myself falling in love with the very feeling of being a part of a team- staying back after school for practice, sharing inside jokes, pepping each other up before rounds, hogging food like nobody’s business, spending hours on end talking about our one common passion- speech and debate; and, most importantly, having real ‘friends’ for the first time since I landed in Atlanta.
And all along, without even realizing it, I started gaining more and more success with each tournament, and by the end of the semester, I had even managed a first place at a tournament!
One of the peaks of this relationship was when I got to travel to the University of New Mexico on my birthday in early January this year. By now, all my best friends were on the debate team, and spending my special day with all my favorite people- including my wonderful coach- was just the most wonderful thing I could have hoped for! And the beautiful snow, the delicious Mexican dinner and the extra special hugs were just an icing on the cake (quite literally)!
But the best moment yet, is still fresh in my mind like it was just yesterday- just a few weeks ago, I qualified for NFL (National Forensics League) Nationals in Original Oratory- an extremely prestigious honor. And just when I thought the feeling couldn’t be topped, just a couple of weekends ago- I placed first at the state tournament- and the feeling of being state champion for Georgia is still something that I’m coming to terms with… But amongst it all, I think the moment that really stands out for me, is when all my competitors came up to me later, gave me hugs, and told me that if there was someone who really deserved everything- it was me. Regardless to say, I was overwhelmed by the love and belief everyone seemed to have in me. I decided one couldn’t get any luckier- and that is a moment that’ll stay with me forever. And ever.
And now, as I sit here and think, I realize the debate team has given me much more than those numerous certificates and trophies. It has given me much more than colleagues, teammates and competitors. It has given me much more than a coach for speech and debate…
In the trophies and certificates- its given me the ability to believe in myself- to believe I can do the seemingly impossible, to believe I can be the best- Its helped my self-worth go up several notches. In the teammates and competitors- its given me friends for life- people who genuinely know me, understand me, accept me and love me for who I really am- people who are genuinely happy for my success, because they’re the ones who’ve helped shape it. In my debate coach- its given me my friend, philosopher, guide- my confidante and my harshest critic- A person who takes fatherly pride in each of my achievements, and who wants me to be the best I can be, and more importantly, the happiest I can be. Someone who’s seen me evolve from day one on the exchange program, and probably the one who knows and understands me best of all.
But above all, being a part of the team has given me my own niche- my own unique identity. In the world of blurring faces and images- it’s given me my own world- a world where I’m accepted, respected and loved. A world where I do not have to conform to feel a part of the crowd, a world where I can be me.
Now, my world is the long, unending after school practices, the wonderful feeling of letting my guard down and being myself, of assuring smiles and warm hugs, of protective glances and heart-to-heart talks, of loud music and crazy dancing, of giggling until the jaws hurt, of giving and feeling the love, but most of all, of being a part of a family- my debate family…
A few weeks ago, as I talked to my coach and told him how many wonderful things the debate team means to me, he said, “It was just one of those strange things that happened- you being put into that class- its not common for exchange students to be put into any kind of such advanced competitive classes. But I guess, it was all for the better…” And I couldn’t agree more.
And to think, the first thing I wanted to do was run away from it!
Since I came back to Turkey, I have been so busy because; first year, I had been trying to attend University. After the beginning of this semester, I have joined Isik University as a major of business information tech. Then I had more time to volunteer and to join activities such as: orientation camps for the returnees, written and oral interviews for evaluating the new exchange students in the coming year; Gulen Cocuk Senligi (Smiling Children Festival), a traditional bayram of Turkey, is 23 April. This festival is organized by AFS-Turkey and Ministry of Education to welcome the children with paralysis illnesses from throughout the world.
I also volunteered to help at the American Corner, the information center in 25th Istanbul Book Fair at TUYAP in Beylikduzu Fair and Congress Center.
-Levent B. MAMUR, 2005, hosted in Orange, MA
I had an awesome YES year. I was able to understand the American people’s point of view and grew an understanding of others. I was able to look at things differently after that!
-Gizem GÜRSOY, 2005 hosted in Overland Park, KS
My YES year was the best year of my life. I got to meet new people, discover a new culture and broaden my view of the world. I realized how we are capable of doing everything if we really want it and work for it. I learnt that no matter which country we are from; we are all the same and have similar ideals and wishes. I am really thankful to the YES program for letting me have such a wonderful experience.
-Jibid BULGAN, 2006, hosted in Portland, OR
To describe my experience in the USA, the words are not enough. I had a gorgeous year thanks to my host parents and my school friends. Besides sharing so many things from my culture, they were so willing to take me into their lives. I made so many friends and taught them about Turkey while I was immersing myself into the US culture. I took up new things and now everything is much more beautiful with a different point of view. Everyone must experience this and become a citizen of the world.
-Garbis KÜPELİ, 2005, hosted in CA
by Ali Elbadry,05-06, Egypt to River Hills, WI
This question has always been penetrating my mind. Why are we different? Speak different? Eat different food? Look different? Live in different ways? I have realised the answer after i had this great, fruitful, meaningful exchange experience. The answer might be surprising and confusing; we are not really different. Instead, we only look different to each other because of these things that keep us away. I have realised that we all are the same deep inside and we all want the same thing; we all want to live in peace. This answer could be confusing to many people, but here is the secret: How much we are able to accept different cultures, different people and different ways of life, would make us realise how much we are actually the same. And this is what YES programme does. It helps us accept different cultures, different ways of life and adapt positively with other cultures, so we just feel all the same deep inside.
by Isslam Kamel, 05-06
Egypt to Rio Vista, CA
What Defines an Exchange Student? Is it the word? Is it the year they have spent in another country? Is it how good their experience was? How much fun they had? How much trouble they faced? Well, I think an Exchange Student is defined by how much experience they gained and how much they have changed for the better. How many steps they have taken towards perfection. An Exchange Student is a student who has had a great opportunity to achieve something that wasn’t available to his fellow students. They should be proud of that, but much more they should share that wonderful experience with other students and help spread the word of cultural exchange. They should let others who haven’t had a chance to see other cultures to at least hear about it from one of their trusted friends, which means YOU. So, go out and tell people about all the things you have seen. Tell the truth and don’t generalize. Be honest and fair. Let them see by your eyes, hear by your ears. Put yourself in their place and let them know what they want to know. If you ask me, that’s what defines an Exchange student. It’s the difference they make when they get back to their community. That’s what Cultural Exchange is about. So, EXCHANGE it. EXCHANGE your experience. EXCHANGE IT ALL!
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